Romans
Overview
Law 78 times; Justification/Righteousness 64 times; Faith 60; Sin 57; Grace 24 Theme: The Gospel (Justification) Key Scripture: 1:16 Time of Writing: 58 A.D.
Chapters 1-3: The Whole World Guilty of Sin (Jews & Gentiles) Chapters 3-8: The Gospel Message Chapters 3-5 Justification Chapters 6-8 Sanctification Chapter 8:18-39 Glorification Chapters 9-11: The Nation of Israel Chapters 12-16: Practical Duties of the Justified
Purposes:
- To strengthen Roman Christians in their faith and win their financial support
- To give a clear doctrinal exposition of God’s method of justification by faith
- To show that both Jew and Gentile are only acceptable to God through the New Covenant
Messages:
- The just shall live by faith.
- All men are under sin and cannot be justified by the works of the law.
- The only righteousness God accepts is a faith-righteousness.
Chapters 1-4: The idea of righteousness by faith - exposition of “he who is righteous by faith” Greek word for faith appears 37 times and word for life appears 3 times. Chapters 5-8: The Christian life - exposition “shall live by” Greek word for faith appears 3 times and word for life appears 25 times Chapters 9-11: Issues on Israel picks up again Chapters 12-16: Various pastoral and ethical issues
In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation: And an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.